Christians not safe in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh: National Minorities Commission

The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) which has completed an investigation into allegations of rise in anti–Christian atrocities in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, has voiced its concerns, saying that the state administrations in the two Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)–ruled states have "failed" to protect religious rights of the community.

"Bajrang Dal, VHP and Dharam Dal activists freely raid Christian homes, carry out searches and humiliate women there on the pretext of curbing proselytism. There is a total failure of administration to protect human and religious rights of Christian minorities in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh," NCM member, Harcharan Singh Josh, who conducted the investigations, said.

According to Josh, the police often colludes with the Hindu hardliner groups, refusing to act against them for attacking Christians in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh that have outlawed conversions.

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar has rejected the NCM's findings, saying, "The Commission was extra active in listening to the one–side of the story and was not bothered to really find out the fact."

Josh, who spent five days along with NCM member Chosphel Zotpa in the two BJP–ruled states for investigation, told news agency PTI that the Commission had received more than two dozen complaints regarding anti–Christain acts there.

"Half the complaints came during our investigation. Among the complainants were bishops of the two states, who were in tears as they spoke about anti–Christian atrocities there," he said.